Friday, July 1, 2011

Outrage.

It's a little bit amazing how one ripple can turn into a giant wave, and how many times that multiplying effect can happen. (In the diabetes online community, the answer to that question seems to be "often".)

It wasn't just the passion with which Mr. Mbanya spoke that impressed me - but boy, does he have a bunch of it. What moved me was what he had to say, his outrage at the current state of global accessibility to medicine, and the determination he has to change that.

To (probably poorly) paraphrase Mr. Mbanya, it's ridiculous that 90 years after insulin was discovered, people are still dying from diabetes due to lack of access to it. As much as I may vent, whine, complain, whatever about life with diabetes, there's a point to be made: I am, indeed, LIVING with it. I am able to obtain insulin when I need it, and I'm able to keep it at the right temperature. I have access to doctors; to pharmacies; to knowledge and education. Not everyone in the world with diabetes has access to these things.

So what can we do about it?

One way is to grab the attention of world leaders; to make non-communicable disease prevention and treatment a priority. In that spirit, the International Diabetes Federation has recently launched an initiative called "O is for Outrage", which you can check out here. Here's a summary of what they're trying to accomplish, taken from the IDF's website:

We are asking the US President to show the world that he is committed to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This topic is the subject of the UN's second summit on global health issues [on September 19th]. Having President Obama attend will inspire other leaders to take this issue seriously because "we do not want the world to sleepwalk into a sick future that is avoidable" (Ann Keeling, IDF CEO).

The IDF is offering to mail a postcard to President Obama on your behalf, to ask him to attend this summit in September. You can choose from the wording suggestions they have there (most of which, honestly, I wasn't very comfortable with), or write your own card.

Let your voice be heard - that diabetes is worth paying attention to. That WE are worth paying attention to.

5 comments:

The fact that people are struggling to get insulin and live with D does strike a nerve. I did my postcard and saw this video last night (thanks to your fb post!). I wrote my own to Pres. Obama and hope many more will. The Diabetic Living magazine fb page posted this postcard info on their site today...I have a feeling we WILL be heard! Thanks Kim!!! :D

Posting about this today as well. I saw the DHF UStream, and also, had the same feelings of anger, frustration and, yes, outrage, that people are still not able to obtain insulin... or enough insulin, or keep the insulin that they do obtain at the right temperature. This just touches my heart and soul in a place that is hard to describe in words. I'm posting on this today! :) Check out my post later, I'll send you a link. ;)

And, I'm so super excited that I am the winner of your giveaway this week! I've never won anything! :) (dHugs!)

Another part of the problem is the amount of misinformation concerning diet and type 2 diabetes. At our clinic, we often see type 2 diabetes patients discontinue their insulin and other medications after they switch to a minimally processed, whole foods, plant-based diet. This approach does not require any insulin or other medical treatment, and can be easily implemented anywhere if people are willing to make significant changes in what they eat.

Disclaimer.

I have absolutely no medical training of any kind. Nothing on this website should be used as medical or legal advice. Please talk to your physician first before making any changes to anything related to your health.